Accident
On 20 October 2018 at 1434 UTC, an Ikarus C42 FB100 Bravo microlight, registered G-CHWN, was involved in an accident during landing at Sywell Aerodrome, Northamptonshire. The aircraft sustained damage to its left landing gear leg, left door, and surrounding structure.
Aircraft and Pilot
The aircraft, manufactured in 2013 (serial no: 1302-7240), was powered by a single Rotax 912ULS piston engine. The pilot, aged 52, held a National Private Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 220 flight hours, including 15 hours on the accident type. In the previous 90 days he had flown 16 hours, and 3 hours in the last 28 days. The pilot had recently purchased G-CHWN, his first fixed-wing microlight, having previously flown flex-wing types.
Circumstances
The pilot was returning from Dunkeswell Aerodrome to his home airfield at Sywell. On arrival, the weather was sunny with scattered clouds, good visibility, a light wind favouring Runway 21R, and a temperature of 10°C. After a stable approach, the aircraft landed slightly left of the runway centreline. The pilot attempted to steer back towards the centre but mistakenly applied left rudder pedal – an input that would have been correct for a flex-wing microlight but incorrect for a fixed-wing type. As a result, the microlight departed the paved runway surface, struck a runway edge light, and subsequently the left landing gear leg collapsed under braking.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft sustained damage to the left landing gear leg, left door, and surrounding structure. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured.
Cause
The pilot attributed the accident to his unfamiliarity with fixed-wing microlights and the reversed sense of operation of the steering system compared to the flex-wing types on which he had more experience.